Wheel structure



G. A. LYON WHEEL STRUCTURE April 3, 1951 Filed Feb. 9, 1946 Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a cover structure for a wheel and more particularly to retaining means for securing an ornamental cover on an outer side of an automobile wheel.

An object of this invention is to provide simple but improved cover retaining means which by reason of its construction afiords a rigid backing for a flexible portion thereof adapted to engage a cover to hold it on the wheel.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved and simple cover retaining spring clip which lends itself to economical manufacture on a large production basis.

In accordance with the general features of this invention there is provided a cover structure for a, wheel including tire rim and body parts and a circular cover for disposition over an outer side of the wheel having a shoulder, cover retaining means on one of the wheel parts comprising a spring extending behind the cover and provided with a tang-like finger depressed therefrom with a free extremity turned toward the axis of the wheel for tensioned engagement with the cover shoulder.

Other objects and features of this invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a single embodiment thereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a wheel and tire assembly showing my cover applied thereto and with the cover partly broken away to illustrate one of the spring cover retaining clips;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken on substantially the line 11-11 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

Figure 3 is an isometric view of one of the cover retaining spring clips.

As shown on the drawings:

The character 9 designates generally a conventional pneumatic tube and tire assembly which is mounted upon the usual drop center multi-flan'ge type of tire rim Hi. This tire rim is supported upon a load bearing or body member ll fastened at spaced intervals to the base flange of the tire rim leaving wheel openings I2 of a type that is well known in the automotive industry. The body part H comprises a dished or bulged stamping with a centrally depressed portion and providing a flange l3 for detachable bolt-on connection to a part on an axle, as is well known in the art.

Associated with this two-part wheel is a cover designated generally by the reference character l5 embracing the features of this invention.

This cover includes an outer annular portion I6 and a central crown or hub cap simulating portion I! joined by a seam It to the inner margin of the outer annular portion I6. The seam l8 in reality comprises a beaded annular shoulder disposed to the rear of the cover for cooperation with retaining clips 20 carried by the wheel body part II.

These spring clips 20 may be of any suitable number, such, for example, as three to five, depending upon the number of wheel openings l2 and each of them extends into a wheel open- As best shown in Figure 3, each clip is of a curved cross sectional shape so that when the clip is mounted on the Wheel it extends radially and axially outwardly from thewheel body part II. The-rear extremity of the clip is turned at 2| so as to overhang a rear edge at 22 of the wheel body part as shown in Figure 2. Any suitable means may be employed for anchoring the clip in place, such, for example, as rivet 23. In this manner the clip may be firmly attached and bottomed on the body part II inside of one of the wheel openings l2.

An intermediate portion of the clip 20 is cut or slotted at 25 to provide a downwardly depending finger or tang 2'5 which is resiliently defiectable relative to the main body of the clip.

The free end of the finger or tang is turned at 2! and is so disposed that it can be cammingly engaged by the shoulder-like seam l8 of the cover It will be observed from Figure 2 that each of the clips 20 is curved radially and axially outwardly along side of the rear of the annular cover portion It so that the clip in reality is concealed thereby. The outer extremity 28 of the clip terminates adjacent a medial part of the annular ring l6. Then, too, the turned free ends 2'! of the tangs or fingers 28 are all disposed in common circle of such diameter as to require resilient fiexure of the tangs when the shoulder of the cover is pressed thereagainst before the shoulder can pass under the tangs and against the body part II. Once the shoulder i8 is bottomed against the body part II, the tangs 26 will exert a resilient pressure thereon to wedge the shoulder or seam i8 tightly against the body part II.

This tension is made possible due to the fact that the tangs 26 do not spring back completely to their original positions after they have been deflected radially outwardly by the camming action described hereinabove.

The cover [5 including the two concentric portions l6 and I! may be made from any suitable sheet material. Both of these portions may comprise stampings, or if it is so desired the portion l6 may comprise a rolled ring.

It will be perceived that the annular portion or ring it has a slightly turned outer edge 30 adapted to overhang an outer edge of the tire rim ID in close proximity to an outer side wall of the tire. In addition the annular portion [6 1s of a convex-concave cross sectional contour and extends radially and axially inwardly from the turned edge 30 to the seam l8. This configuration is such that in use the ring l6 appears to constitute a continuation of the side wall of the tire 9. The appearance thus obtained may be further enhanced if the outer surface of the portion [6 has a white finish. In that event, the ring portion l6 will, inv use, appear to constitute a white side wall part of the tire 9, thereby giving the illusion of the tire extending clear down to the hub cap portion l1.

Removal of the cover [5 may be easily eifected by inserting the end of a pry-oif tool under the reinforced beaded ed e 39 and forcibly ejecting the cover assembly I5 from its retained cooperation with the spring clips 20.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a wheel structure including a multiflanged tire rim and a load-sustaining body part, the juncture of the body part and the tire rim having a plurality of wheel openings defined at the body part side thereof by a radially inwardly depressed flange portion of the body part, a cover for the outer side of the wheel including a portion of a radial extent to substantially conceal the tire rim and extending to the body part closely adjacent to said wheel openings and having a generally radially outwardly extending annular shoulder, and a retaining clip for the cover comprising a resilient sheet metal body having an axially inner portion thereof in face to face engagement with the flange defining one of said wheel openings, the inner extremity of the body being formed with a terminal flange extending angularly radially inwardly and engaging the axially inner edge of the wheel body flange, said abutting portion of the clip body being secured permanently to the wheel body flange, the axially outer portion of the clip extending substantially axially outwardly of the wheel body and curving radially outwardly behind the tire rim concealing portion of the cover, said outer portion having a cover-retaining resilient tang struck integrally therefrom and extending generally toward the axis of the wheel and into engagement with the shoulder on the cover and yieldably pressing said shoulder retainingly against the wheel body.

2. In a wheel structure including a tire rim and a wheel body with an opening at the juncture ofthe tire rim and wheel body including a portion of the wheel body defining a flange at the radially inner side of the opening, a cover retaining clip formed from a single piece of resilient sheet metal and including a base portion lying in flush engagement with said body flange inside said opening, a terminal flange at the inner end of the clip engaging the edge. of said wheel body flange to hold the clip against tilting, and a rivet securing the clip to the wheel body fiange, the outer portion of the clip. extending axially substantially beyond the wheel body and being turned radially outwardly and having a cover-retaining tang struck integrally therefrom with the free end portion of the tang adjacent to but slightly spaced from the wheel body at the radially inner side of the clip whereby to be in position to yieldably engage and press :a ortion of a concealing cover against the wheel body.

GEORGE ALBERT LYON,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date.

2,213,861 I-Iorn Sept. 3., 1940 2,304,583 Lyon Dec. 8, 1942 2,368,240 Lyon Jan. 30, 1945 

